The Secret of the Apple Tree
by ouatevilregal8
Summary: Their true love was so powerful that, before Daniel's death, the two shared their love for one another and Regina conceived a child. Forced by her mother to give the child up, Regina becomes devastated and soon seeks vengeance for the deaths of her love and her only child. But did Cora really kill the baby? Or will this child, made from true love, find Regina in the near future?
1. Chapter 1

Regina runs into the stables with a bag in tow to meet Daniel.

"Are you ready?" He asks excitedly.

"Let's go." She grabs his hand.

They go to leave, but run into Cora at the entrance, "You could've at least left a note." She produces a wave of magic that pushes Regina and Daniel back into the stable. She then proceeds to shut all of the doors and lock them in.

"Mother, I-"

Cora stops Regina, "You sneak out of my house in the dead of night, and think I won't notice? How dare you."

Daniel helps Regina up and she replies, "You're impossible to talk to. Stop with the magic and listen to me. I want to be with Daniel."

"Oh, you don't know what you want. But I do. I didn't make the sacrifices I did in life, to get you to the cusp of greatness, so that you could end up the wife of a stable boy."

Astonished at her mother's stubbornness, "It's my life."

Cora laughs at her daughter's remark, "You foolish girl. It's mine. After what I had to do… The deals, I had to make to get us out of poverty, to get us this life, and you just want to toss it away?"

Daniel puts his hands on Regina's shoulders and whispers, "Stay strong, Regina."

She looks into his eyes and finds confidence to stand up to her mother, "Your magic can't keep us apart. I love him."

Daniel respond, "And I love her."

Cora looks at him, "And I love her, too."

"If you loved me, you wouldn't try to keep us apart." Regina replies.

"And if you loved me, you wouldn't try to run away."

Regina, fed up with trying to convince her mother says, "I'm sorry, but this is my happiness. We're going."

As the two begin to move to go around her, Cora replies, "No, you're not."

Regina stops and looks angrily at her mother. "So, what's your plan? You're going to keep us here forever? Because that's what you'll have to do."

Cora looks into her daughters eyes and, with a tone of understanding, she replies, "So, this is… Your decision? This will make you happy?"

Regina then looks to Daniel who slowly puts his hand onto Regina's stomach. Her eyes follow his hand and she places her hand on his then smiles. "It already has."

Cora looks at the couple and becomes astonished by her daughter's behavior. A girl of Regina's age and status having relations with the stable boy could be... fixed, but the couple having personal relations out of wedlock would ruin Cora's plan for Regina. Cora finally realized what she must do, "Then, who am I to stop you?"

Regina looks to her mother with great joy in her eyes and hugs her tightly. "Thank you, Mother."

Cora then looks to Daniel and takes him aside to talk to him. "Daniel. If you want to have a life together, a family… Then, there's one important lesson I can impart on you. It's what it means to be a parent. You always have to do what's best for your children."

Daniel looks over to his true love, who happily puts her hands to her stomach, and then replies, "Thank you. I understand. Because that's what you're doing now."

"Yes. It is." Cora plunges her hand inside Daniel's chest and rips out his heart.

Regina yells in fear, "Mother! No! No! No, no, no." She runs to Daniel as he falls to the ground. Cora then crushes Daniel's heart to dust. Regina, with tears ing her eyes tries to give him true loves kiss hoping that he would awaken. She then looks back to her mother, "Mother, why have you done this?"

"Because this is your happy ending."

"What?"

"Oh, you have to trust me, Regina. I know best. Love is weakness, Regina. It feels real now. At the start, it always does. But, it's an illusion. It fades. And then, you're left with nothing. But power, true power, endures. And then, you don't have to rely on anyone to get what you want. I've saved you, my love."

Regina screams at her in furious rage and sadness, "You've ruined everything. I loved him. I loved him!" She turns to him and tries kissing him again.

Cora aggravated at her daughter, grabs her by the arm and pulls her up, "Enough! I've endured this long enough. Now, clean yourself up, wipe away your tears, because now… You're going to be Queen."

Looking out of the palace window, Regina feels lost and scared; almost imprisoned. A single runs down her cheeks as she thinks about what her mother wants her to do to Daniel's unborn child growing inside of her. She puts her hands to her stomach and feels like she is going to be sick. She then leans over and begins to sob. Suddenly, Cora enters the room and Regina straightens up and wipes away her tears.

"The doctor is here, darling."

She turns to her mother, clearly upset, "Mother, I can't do this. I won't do this!"

"Oh yes you are! If you had obeyed me in the first place, none of this would have happened. Nothing is going to get in the way of you being Queen."

Regina raises her voice, "It's my baby!"

"That's enough!" Cora raises her voice and the room shakes up a bit.

Regina becomes afraid and begins to cry again.

Cora begins to walk out of the room, "The doctor will be in shortly."

Regina cannot contain herself any longer. She falls onto the bed, sobbing. "Daniel," she whispers, "I wish you were here. You can't imagine what she's doing to me…"

The doctor walks into the room but remains silent. Regina looks up at him and he notices the tears in her eyes and on her cheeks. She gets up off of the bed silently with a look of hopelessness in her eyes. She moves behind a screen to change her clothes and then returns to the bed. The doctor goes to her. Throughout the process, Regina holds in tears as her heart begins to break. The doctor's hand begins to get closer to her.

Then Regina just bursts, "No!" The doctor backs away a bit startled. "No… I can't do this. Please… don't make me do this."

The doctor looks at Regina's eyes; scared and hurt. He then takes her hand and smiles. Then he gets up and leaves the room.

After Regina redresses, her mother comes into the room. However, she does not seem angry with her daughter, as Regina would have thought.

Regina looks to her mother sincerely and says, "Mother I'm sorry. I just-"

"No dear. I understand. The doctor told me everything."

"What?" Regina asks a bit confused.

"You are too far along for the procedure. He said it could be a risk to you, dear. And you know I would never do anything to harm you." Cora walks over to Regina and strokes her hand through her hair. "We will find another way."

Regina begins to become a bit upset again, "But Mother, please. I don't want to find another way; I want to keep this baby."

"And what will the King think? How will the kingdom see you? Mother to a bastard child! No. I will not allow it."

"Mother, please."

"Enough, Regina. We will leave in the morning. I will inform the King and Snow that we will be gone for several months for personal family reasons. We will not discuss this any further." She leaves the room.

Regina again feels helpless. She walks back over to the window and observes a group of workers down in the courtyard. They are planting her childhood apple tree right in the center of the courtyard. Regina just watches for a little while as they place the tree. Suddenly, Regina gasps and holds her hand to her stomach. She looks down and smiles. Her baby had kicked for the first time.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day Regina looks at the packed bag lying on her bed. Where was her mother going to bring her? What was she going to do to her? What would she do to the baby?

Suddenly the door of Regina's room bursts open and startles Regina. The young princess Snow White runs in to hug Regina, "I will miss you, Regina."

Regina, a bit startled, puts her arms around Snow and says, "I'll miss you too, Snow."

Cora enters the room, "Are you ready to go, dear?"

Regina looks to her mother with sorrowful eyes. She fears what awaits her. Regina looks down to young Snow who still has her arms wrapped around her step-mother-to-be. She respond to her mother, "Yes, Mother." Then she looks down at Snow, "Snow, would you help me with my bags."

"Of course." She smiles at Regina, grabs a large bag and strolls out of the room.

Regina looks to her mother concerned and asks her, "Mother, where are we going?"

"Dear, we are going see your sickly grandfather in a neighboring kingdom."

"Mother, you are lying to me. Where you taking me."

"Quiet, Regina." Cora whispers, "Snow may return and hear you. As far as the King knows, we are journey to care for your sickly grandfather for several months until he is well."

Regina just wishes to scream at her mother. She hated being forced to do this. All she wanted to do was be free. Being Queen never mattered. At that moment, the only thing that mattered was her unborn baby; the only thing of Daniel that she had left besides the ring that he had given her.

"Regina?" Cora realized that she had been daydreaming.

"Yes, Mother."

"It's time to go."

Regina looks the her stomach and places her hand on it then looks back at the door that her mother had just exited through. She holds back tears and stays strong then follows her mother out.

After a few days of travel, Regina and Cora arrive in a small town. There is an old friar waiting to greet them. Regina steps out of the carriage and walks up to the friar.

"You must be Regina." He bows to her and then kisses her hand, "My dear, I promise you that we will take good care of you."

Almost soullessly, Regina responds, "Thank you."

"Good day Friar." Cora walks up beside Regina.

"Madame." He bows to Cora and kisses her hand as well. "I will show you to the cottage you will be staying in and I will have someone bring you your bags. I apologize that we can not offer more to you."

"It is perfectly fine, Friar. We are only here temporarily" Cora puts her hand on Regina's back and Regina fidgets at her touch.

While walking to the cottage, Regina spots a group of children playing on the dirt road in front of the orphanage. She spots a young girl about 5 years old with long golden hair and big hazel eyes. The girl smiles at Regina and waves. Regina shyly waves back and smiles as the girl goes back to play with the other children.

They follow the friar into a small cottage. Cora and the friar move into another room to discuss the terms of her and Regina's stay in the small town. Regina begins to look around the little cottage. She notices a little rocking chair in the corner of the room by a pleasant fireplace. She sits down in the chair and just closes her eyes imagining what life would be like living in the cottage with her little baby. She'd rock it sleep telling it about its father and their true love's story. Regina opens her eyes and smiles for the moment.

Then Regina notices her mother and the friar return to the main room silently. The friar's expression was no longer as cheerful as it had been earlier. What had Cora said to him? He smiles at Regina nervously, "My name is Friar Tucker if you ladies happen to need anything. You may find me at the chapel or at the orphanage." He scurries out quickly and a bit frantically.

Regina looks up to her mother, "Mother, what did you say to him?"

Cora observes the cottage, "Just settling the terms of a little agreement, dear."

Regina stares at her mother in confusion. She hated how her mother lied to her and kept secrets from her.

It had been about two months since Regina and Cora had arrived in the little town. She decided to get fresh air and take a walk through the town. As she walks by the orphanage, she notices the little girl once more. She had been looking out the window and knocked on the window as Regina passed by. Regina wonders why the little girl wishes to get her attention. Suddenly, Friar Tucker opens the door to the orphanage and waves to Regina. She walks over the entrance.

"Good day, Regina." Friar Tucker smiles at her. "The children and I are about to have lunch. Would you like to join us?"

She smiles at his offer, looks toward the little girl in the window and then responds, "Thank very much; however, I have been feeling a bit ill today."

"That is perfectly fine, dear. We will not force you to eat anything."

Regina nods at him and enters the orphanage. She looks around for the little hazel-eyed girl and notices about twelve little children sitting at a large, wooden table. They wore little ragged clothes and some of their faces were a bit dirty.

"Hello." She says softly. She sits at the table and smiles at the children.

"Children, be polite and say hello to Miss Regina." Friar Tucker announces.

"Hello, Miss Regina." They say in unison. She smiles at them.

After the meal Regina excuses herself and decides to look around the little orphanage for the young girl who intrigued her. She enters what looks like a bedroom. There is a little girl sitting with her back toward Regina. She walks around to see the little girl and realizes that it is the little hazel-eyed girl playing with a raggedy doll. She looks up at Regina and smiles then returns to playing with her doll.

Regina walks up to the little girl and says, "Hello there." She smiles at her.

The little girl does not say anything and continues to play with her doll. Regina steps a little closer to her and slowly sits next to her on the bed. The little girl stops playing and looks into Regina's dark brown eyes. Regina is very curious of the little girl's behavior and innocence. The girl's eyes move down Regina's body until she is staring at her little bulging belly. The little girl suddenly places her had on Regina's stomach, which startles Regina who jumps a bit when she first does it. Then the little girl gets closer and puts her ear to her stomach. Regina smiles at the young girls curiosity. Then suddenly she feels a little jump within her stomach and the little girl jumps at the feeling and looks up at Regina with excitement. Regina smiles and giggles at the young girl.

"I'm Regina." She says putting her hand to her stomach and smiling.

The little girl looks up at Regina with a sweet smile and replies, "I'm Marian."


	3. Chapter 3

Regina and the little hazel-eyed girl Marian sat by a little stream close to the town. Regina sat back on the green grass while the young girl splashed around in the stream. She was in her sixth month of her pregnancy and had real bonded with the young Marian in the past two months. Regina believed that Friar Tucker allowed her to spend time with the young orphan because he wished to avoid telling her what he had discussed with Cora on the first day of their arrival. However, Regina really did not care about the friar's motives; she enjoyed the girl's company.

Marian ran up to Regina all wet from the stream, "Regina, play in the stream with me."

Regina looks at her and laughs, "I wish I could, dear, but it's a little difficult with my belly."

Marian smiles at her and says, "That's alright. May I go back and play in the stream again?"

"Only for a little longer. Friar Tucker expects you back before lunch and you are all wet, so you will need to dry off as well."

"Alright! Just a bit longer." She hugs Regina around the neck, puts her hand onto her stomach and then kisses it before she runs back to the stream to play.

Regina put her hand onto her stomach and laughed at the child splashing around in the stream. In her naïve mind, Regina had hoped that everyday would be like this one. She would not have to go back to marry the King; she could be free to raise her child in this little town and finally find happiness. But when noontime came around, the dream had to end. She called in the little girl back and dried her off thoroughly before bringing her back to the orphanage.

She hugged Marian tightly, "Goodbye, Marian."

"Goodbye, Regina. I love you." Then the little girl runs into the small building.

Regina returns to the cottage to find her mother sitting in the rocking chair by the fireplace waiting for her to return home.

"Where have you been, Regina?" Cora says strictly.

"I was at the orphanage, Mother."

"Why, Regina? Why won't you learn?" Cora stands and walks up to Regina. "Why must you insist on being a childish fool?"

"I am not a fool!"

Cora begins to laugh at her daughter's remark, "My dear, you by far are the foolish person I have ever seen. You are about to become Queen; you will a kingdom and ultimate power at your feet, yet you insist on spending your days with filthy orphans and raising the bastard child of a dead stable boy!"

Regina listens to her mother's harsh words and can't help but feel infuriated and hurt. She wants to just lash out at Cora but is afraid of what she might do to her to punish her.

Regina obediently responds, "Yes, Mother. I understand."

"Good. Then I expect that you will not be going to that orphanage anymore."

Regina begins to refute, "But, Mother-"

"No, Regina. I don't not want to hear anymore from you."

Regina's eyes begin to tear up and she goes into her room. She sits on her bed and begins to cry. She notices the little doll on her bed, picks it up and holds it tightly to her chest. Marian had given Regina's baby the doll as a gift a month ago. Regina cried that she could never see the little girl again. She kept replaying Marian's last words in her head: _Good Bye, Regina. I love you._ Regina could never truly be free and she knew that now.


	4. Chapter 4

Regina suddenly awakens to the sound of church bells. She struggles to sit up on the bedside for she is now in her last month of pregnancy. She sighs and slowly stands up holding her large bulging belly. Then she walks over to the window and notices the group of children from the orphanage walking to the chapel. She looks around to find Marian walking silently with the other rambunctious children. Regina's heart broke looking at the little girl who seemed hurt and sorrowful, as if she had been abandoned by Regina. Suddenly Regina perks up a bit and quickly dresses.

She walks into the main room of the cottage where Cora was making a meal, "Mother, may I go to this morning's service at the chapel?"

Cora does not turn around but responds, "And why would you want to do that?"

Regina hesitates to think of a response, "I would like to speak with Friar Tucker after the service."

"About what?"

Regina begins to lie to her mother, "He continually asks me to return to the orphanage and I am rather aggravated by his persistence. I wish to ask him to stop."

"As you should dear. He must understand that, as Queen, you cannot cavort around with people like them."

Regina begins to show a sign anger towards her mother, but quickly hides it from her, "Yes, Mother."

"Alright then, dear. I will expect you home by noontime."

"Of course, Mother." Regina replies as she quickly leaves the cottage and walks over to the chapel.

0-0-0

Regina enters the chapel doors quietly and searches around for the friar and the children. It is incredibly full and difficult for her to find them. Suddenly, Regina feels a tug on her dress. She looks down and meets eyes with Marian. With an excited look on her face, Regina tries to bend down slowly to meet at eye level with the little girl. The little girl smiles back a quickly hugs Regina around her neck. It throws Regina a little off so she wobbles a bit but finds her balance again before putting her arms around Marian.

Marian whispers into Regina's ear, "I knew you wouldn't leave me."

Regina sheds a single tear and holds Marian tighter. Regina knew that this would most likely be the last time that she'd see the child; her baby would arrive any day and she knew that after it was born, she would be forced back to the palace to marry the King. She didn't want to let go of her but knew that she had to when Friar Tucker had called for Marian to sit with the rest of the children. Regina carefully stands up holding her belly and trying not to fall over. Marian takes Regina by the hand and leads her to where the rest of the children are sitting. Regina and Marian never let go of each other's hands throughout the entire service.

Shortly after the service Regina finds a way to separate from Marian so that she could talk to Friar Tucker in private.

Regina walks up to the old man. He smiles to her and says, "Good morning, Regina. I trust you enjoyed the service?"

"I did, thank you."

"And you look very well." He says admiring her large stomach.

She laughs, "Yes. Just a bit tired."

"Yes. Did you wish to speak to me, dear?"

"Yes I did."

The area was very crowded and the friar was trying to round up the children to return them to the orphanage, "Yes, yes. Um… I apologize, but could we possibly discuss what you wish later? When it is a bit less… hectic."

She smiles at the slightly stressed man, "Of course."

"Wonderful. Thank you. I will see you at your cottage a little after noontime then. Yes?"

"Yes."

Before leaving, Regina goes over to Marian with a smile. The little girls hugs Regina's large belly but cannot get her tiny arms to reach all the way around. She kisses Regina's stomach and then reaches up to Regina, signaling that she wishes to hug her. Regina carefully bends over so the little girl can wrap her arms around her. She hugs Regina tightly and then kisses her cheek, "I love you, Regina."

Regina holds back tears and whispers, "I love you too." And then she leaves the chapel sure that she would never see that little hazel-eyed girl again.

0-0-0

Later in the day, Cora left the cottage for some time and left Regina alone. Regina hears a knock on the door. It was Friar Tucker. Regina had almost forgotten that he said he would go there later that day.

"Hello again, Friar."

"Hello, Regina. May I come in?"

"Of course."

The old man sits down at the small wooden table in the kitchen area.

"Would you like me to make you something? Tea perhaps?"

"Oh no, no, dear. I am only here to discuss what you wished to discuss." He smiles at her cheerfully.

Regina seems a bit hesitant to bring it up, but she knows that she must if she wants to know the truth, "I… I want to know about the discussion the you and my mother had on the first day of our arrival."

The friar's cheerful expression drops and he becomes worrisome, "Dear, I agreed with your mother not to discuss that with you."

Begging him, "No, please. Please tell me. She lies to me. I need to know what she is planning on doing."

"Dear, you know that I would, but I am afraid of what she might do to someone who crosses her. Like I, you know the power that she is capable of."

Painfully reliving the memory of her mother ripping Daniel's heart out and crushing it, she replies, "Yes, I understand."

Friar Tucker then gets up to leave. Regina slowly gets up. About to walk over the open the door for him, she suddenly leans onto the wooden table feeling a pain in her stomach. She gasps and puts her hand to it. She then feels it again.

The friar, concerned asks, "Regina. Regina, are you alright?"

Regina begins to breath heavily, shakes her head at him and then moans in pain. Her baby was coming now.


	5. Chapter 5

Cora enters the cottage and hears Regina's agonizing screams. She smiles at this, knowing that soon she and Regina will return to their kingdom and she will finally marry the King as Cora had always planned. She gracefully and calmly walks into Regina's bedroom to find her lying on the bed sweating and moaning in pain. Friar Tucker, who had been holding her hand, suddenly lets go and walks toward Cora. There are two midwives attending to Regina. One is wiping the sweat from her brow the other is preparing for the birth.

Cora asks the friar, "How much longer?"

Friar Tucker responds, "Not much at all, Madam. The midwife says that she is very close."

Cora watches her daughter breathe heavily, moaning from the pain of the contractions. She asks the friar, "Do you still understand the terms of our agreement, Friar?"

"Yes, Madam. But-"

"But what?" Cora turns to him sternly, "Friar Tucker, you assured me that you would keep to our agreement when I spoke to you on the first day of our arrival. I will not have this child interfere with my daughter's reign as Queen."

"I understand, Madam. But… is it really necessary to kill the infant?" He asks as he looks over the young Regina gripping at the bed sheets from the pain.

"Yes it is. If the child were to ever search for my daughter, she would give up everything for it. I will not let that become even a possibility. My daughter has become far too attached to this child, and if she plans to rule strongly, she can not let _anything_ hold her back."

Friar Tucker decided not to argue with the powerful woman for fear that he may receive punishment for reneging on their agreement.

Regina's screams become louder as the midwife turns to Cora and Friar Tucker, "It's time." She turns back to Regina a tells her, "Alright, Regina. I need you to push now."

Regina face cringes from the pain, she closes her eyes and nods at the midwife. Regina begins to push. She grips the bed tightly and moans loudly. She stops for a moment and breathes, and then she pushes again. The feeling of pain surges through her as she feels everything. She is scared of her child's fate, of her fate, and of both of their futures. Regina breathes and gives one final push. Then she feels no pain; she lays back down, her eyes still closed and she suddenly hears the high-pitched cry of the baby. Joyful tears begin to fall down Regina's face. She opens her eyes to look at her newborn baby; it's a beautiful little girl. Regina smiles and laughs. In this moment she is filled will joy and love for her new daughter. She watches as the midwife wraps the baby in a little white blanket and picks her up in her arms and turns around to face Regina.

Regina still smiling and crying asks, "Let me hold her." She reaches out toward the midwife. However, the midwife does not hand Regina her daughter. Instead she looks to Cora who nods her head. The midwife then begins to walk toward Cora and Friar Tucker.

"No wait!" Regina cries to the midwife. She looks to Cora and begs, "Mother, please… Please just let me hold her." She cries.

The midwife walks up to Cora and Friar Tucker and hands the baby over to the friar.

Regina cries and begs again to her mother, "Mother, please! She's my baby! Please, please just let me see her. Don't take her from me!" Regina watches as the midwife hands the baby over. She begins to sob uncontrollably.

Cora tells the friar, "You know what to do."

Regina yells to Friar Tucker, "Friar, wait!" He looks down at the crying baby and then into the eyes of her sobbing mother. His heart breaks for her, "Please, don't take her from me…" She whispers. The Friar looks to Cora and then walks out of the room with the baby in his arms.

Regina can't even speak; she is too choked up by her own tears. She sinks back down into the bed and begins to sob into the pillow. Cora watches with no emotion, no concern, and no mercy while her daughter's heart breaks. She leaves her daughter to cry with a slight smirk on her face. They would leave in three days to return to the palace.


	6. Chapter 6

Young Marian watches out the window as Friar Tucker walks past the orphanage and down to the stream. "What is he doing?" Asks a young boy about one year older than her. He was a little plump and looked much bigger for his age.

"I don't know, John. Look! He has something in his arms!" She presses her nose against the window.

"It looks like it's moving!" John says.

"Let's go see!" Marian says jumping down from the chair she had been standing on to reach the window and running to the door.

"Wait!" John yells chasing after her, stumbling on his own two feet. "Friar Tuck will get mad if her knows that we left.

Marian turns the knob and opens the large front door, "Then he won't find out silly!" She runs out the door and John begins to hobble after her.

The two children quickly make it to the stream and hide behind a bush. They curiously watch as Friar Tucker walks into the stream.

"What is he doing?" John whispers quite loudly.

"Shh!"

Marian watches as the little thing in Friar Tucker's arms begins to wiggle and make noises. The Friar begins to bend over as if to put the thing into the stream. Marian knows that something is not right when she hears a cry from it. Suddenly she runs from behind the bush and yells to Friar Tucker, "What are you doing?"

Friar Tucker, startled at hearing the young girl, quickly stands straight and turns around, "Oh, dear! Marian! It's… nothing, nothing at all! Why are you not back at the orphanage?"

Marian can see clearly now that he had a baby in his arms wrapped in a white blanket. She walks up closer to him, "Whose baby is that?" She asks curiously.

Trying to cover everything up, he lies to her and says, "I don't know, dear." His face begins to blush.

"What are you doing with it?"

He continues to lie, "I… I found her here by the stream."

John comes out from behind the bush, "No you didn't, Friar Tuck! We saw you walking down the street with it in your arms."

Trying to cover up what he had actually been doing, Friar Tucker makes up a story, "Oh, no, no children. This little baby was found on the steps of the chapel, abandoned. Poor thing was filthy, so I bought her to the stream to wash her."

John quickly dismissed it; in his naïve mind, it all made sense. However, Marian was a very smart little girl; she that, if she left at the moment, the friar would do something.

She replied to him, "Is she clean now? We can bring her back to the orphanage with us," Marian smiles and holds the friar's free hand. "She can stay in my bedroom."

Friar Tucker becomes nervous as the little girl begins to lead him away from the stream. He cannot go back and be rid of the infant now that Marian and John knew that she was alive. He had no choice but to bring the infant back to the orphanage and hope that she would never try to find her mother in the future.

0-0-0

A few days later, the baby was given a little crib in Marian's room. Marian almost never left the baby alone. Today, Marian decided to sit with the baby and play with her after dinner.

Suddenly, Friar Tucker walks into the bedroom, "Hello, Marian. Are you keeping her company?"

She doesn't look up at the friar. She puts her little hand through the bars of the crib and the little baby grips her finger, "Does she have a name, Friar Tuck?"

"No, I'm afraid she doesn't, dear."

John, who apparently heard the conversation, stumbles in and says, "Then can we give her a name."

"Alright. What should it be?"

John begins to list countless crazy names. Marian begins to ignore it and just focuses on the little baby who begins to wiggle a bit and make little noises. Then, she opens her eyes for the first time and looks at Marian with big brown eyes. The baby smiles and giggles when she looks at Marian. Marian smiles at her too and then looks over to John who is still reciting names.

"No, John. None of those will work."

John looks over at her upset that she had just interrupted him. Then he angrily walks out of the room.

Friar Tucker walks over and looks into the crib to see the giggly baby, "Then what will her name be, dear?"

Marian smiles at her, "She's special, Friar Tuck."

"I can see that. And she is very attached to you as well."

Marian looks up at the Friar and then smiles at the little baby again, "Her name will be Robin."


	7. Chapter 7

It had been five years later since Regina had returned to the palace, married the King and became Queen. Shortly after they had arrived home five years earlier, Cora had somehow disappeared and Regina was never the same after that. Snow noticed that she continually disappeared for hours at a time. She was easily angered, especially by the teenage girl. She possessed no emotion in the presence of the King. Snow had always wondered what had happened during that long time while she was away that would change her into this. One evening, Snow decided to ask her stepmother about it.

"Regina?" Snow walks out to the courtyard where she notices Regina sitting alone under her dear apple tree.

Regina looks up, emotionless, "Yes, Snow."

Naïve Snow sits next to Regina under the tree, "May I ask you a question?"

"I suppose so." Regina does not look at Snow. She had always felt a strange urge to hurt her. She saw Snow as an annoyance, even a traitor to her. For if it hadn't been for Snow telling Cora about Regina and Daniel running away, Regina's life would have been drastically different; it would have been happy. Regina couldn't look at Snow; for fear that she may do something rash and unthinkable to the teenage princess.

"What happened to you?"

Regina looks to the ground both filled with anger and sorrow, "What do mean, Snow?"

A little nervous to bring it up, Snow White hesitates and then says, "Regina, five years ago, you and your mother left to take care of your… grandfather, it think, for several months. But… you came back different. And then Cora disappeared only but a week later. What happened to you then?"

Regina looks up at Snow. Her emotions raging through her: anger, sorrow, annoyance, furiousness, loneliness and vulnerability. She couldn't tell her the truth. Not then. Regina wanted vengeance for her lover and daughter's deaths. She had lost everything, but she wouldn't show Snow that side of her.

"Nothing happened, dear." She smiles at young Snow, "We cared for my grandfather all we could, but he died."

Snow feels a bit stunned and sorry for Regina, "Regina I am sorry. I didn't know. You never told my father or me. Where you close to him?"

Regina 's voice deepens as she says, "Yes, very close." While Snow believed she was referring to Regina's grandfather, Regina had actually been referring to her child.

The two are silent for a while until Snow decides to get up and leave Regina alone. The young girl walks away and Regina stares vengefully at the cheerful and supposedly kind princess. Regina stands up and looks to her apple tree. She picks a perfectly red and ripe apple and just stares at it. Then she smiles deviously. She knew how to claim her vengeance on Snow White, but it would take time until she could finally commit the act.

0-0-0

The five year old Robin runs playfully out of the stream and into Marian's arms to hug her.

"You're all wet, Robin!" Marian laughs.

"I was playing in the water!" Robin smiles innocently.

"I see that." The two girls sit down by the edge of the steam. Robin lies down and rests her head on Marian's lap.

"Marian, will you tell me a story?"

"Which one?" Marian asks.

"About the lady." Robin looks up at her with her big dark brown eyes.

Marian smiles at Robin and strokes her dark, curly hair. For some reason, she loved the story about the lady that Marian had met when she was about Robin's age.

Marian begins her story, "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful lady named Regina who came to Nottingham and befriended a lonely orphan-"

"That's you!" Robin interrupts.

Marian laughs, "Yes, it was me." She continues, "She had long dark hair and dark brown eyes and she was beautiful. Just like you, Robin. She spent everyday with the little girl by the stream."

"Like we do, Marian." Robin interrupts again.

"Yes, just like us. And this lady was kind and gentle. She also was going to have a baby. When the little girl first met Regina, she felt her baby kick."

"Marian?"

"Yes?"

"Did you love Regina and her baby?"

"I did."

"Where did she go?"

"She and her mother had to leave to go back to their kingdom. They left about three days after Friar Tuck had found you at the chapel."

"That's sad. Do you miss her?"

"Very much. You would have loved her."

"She could have been your mama."

"She kind of was for that short time."

"I wish I had a mama…" Robin says pulling grass from the ground.

"Maybe you do. Maybe you will find her someday."

Robin sits up and smiles, "Do you really think so?"

"Yes. You're very special, Robin. I think you can do anything."

Robin leans into Marian for a hug.

"Come on," Says Marian beginning to get up, "We need to get back to the orphanage before noontime or Friar Tuck will be angry with us."

Robin gets up and asks Marian, "Why is Friar Tuck always so nervous around me, Marian?"

"He's old," Marian replies, "He's just always nervous."

"I don't think so." Robin replies.

"Come on, let's get back." Marian holds Robin's hand and Robin innocently dismisses the question.


	8. Chapter 8

The two girls went to the stream almost every day for years. Robin is about thirteen now. Her hair is in a long braid extending down her back. She wears a pair of pants with brown shirt. Marian is seventeen and her golden hair is long and flows down her back. She is dressed more lady-like, in a beige dress.

While sitting by the edge of the stream, Robin notices something moving across the stream, in the woods. "Marian, what is that?"

"I don't know." She replies.

"Lets find out!" Robin gets up and begins to slowly cross the stream.

Marian gets up and grabs her arm quickly, "Uh, let's not."

"Why not? Since when were you such a coward?" She teases.

"Am not!"

"Then let's go," Robin says.

Marian sighs and follows Robin quietly across the stream. Suddenly Robin signals for Marian to stop moving.

"What is it?" Marian whispers.

"Shh!" Robin makes it to the other side of the stream, but cannot find where the thing went. She hears it again and quickly scurries up a tree to see what it is. She finally spots the thing and notices that it has a companion. From what Robin could see, it was a man and… a wolf.

"What is it?" Marian says loudly, startling Robin who suddenly loses her balance and falls to the ground. The man notices the commotion as Marian runs over the Robin. The man and his wolf run over as well.

Robin sits up with her hand on her head and says to Marian, "Do you know how to be quiet?"

Marian's worried look changes to an insulted one, "Uh, yeah!" She replies sarcastically, "Do you know how to climb a tree?"

Robin glares at her remark.

The man runs over with his wolf, "Could we be of some assistance? That looked like a hard fall you took there."

Marian looks up at the man, "No. She's alright. Just bumped her head a bit."

"I wouldn't have if you hadn't yelled out," Robin mumbles.

The man just stares at them and laughs. Then he extends his hand out to Robin to help her, "I'm Graham."

Robin takes his hand and he helps her up, "Robin. That's Marian."

Marian looks over to the wolf, "What's your pet's name?"

Graham responds quickly, "Oh, his isn't a pet. He is my companion. He has no name. I just call him Boy."

Robin kneels down and begins to pet the wolf.

"He like's you." Says Graham. Robin looks up at the man and smiles. The man changes the subject, "May I ask you why you were up in that tree in the first place?"

"She was spying on you!" Marian bluntly states.

Robin turns to Marian and says sarcastically, "Way to be discreet!"

Graham laughs at the to girls, "Well, at least she was honest."

"Yeah, Robin!" Marian said snidely.

The girls just glare at one another. And Graham begins to feel slightly awkward.

"Well," he interrupts the girls' glaring contest, "I feel that my work here is done and we must be off."

Robin suddenly realizes as he begins to walk away, "Wait! What are you doing here in the woods?"

He turns back around and answers, "I am a hunter."

Robin becomes excited, "Really? May I help?"

Marian looks astonished at Robin, "Robin! No! We need to be getting back to the orphanage anyway. It is nearly noontime."

"But I want to learn how to become a hunter." She stubbornly says to Marian.

"Well you have the sly part down pretty well, with the exception of falling out of the hiding spot." Graham laughs.

"Could you teach me?"

Marian chimes in again, "Robin, stop being so rude! This man has more important things to do than teach a thirteen-year-old orphan how to hunt."

Graham interrupts, "No, no, no. I'd love to teach you what you wish to learn. You are a very strong girl to want to take something like this on."

"Marian used to tell me that I was special." She glares over to Marian still aggravated at her.

Marian's expression softens, "I still think that, Robin. You've always been special."

Robin smiles at Marian then turns back to Graham.

"Alright then. If you'd like we can begin tomorrow. I have a feeling that you need to leave at the moment." Graham gestures toward the other end of the stream. "How about six o'clock tomorrow morning and we can begin."

"Robi-"

Robin interrupts Marian, "Six o'clock tomorrow is great!" She turns around and she and Marian run back across the stream.

As the two make it across the stream and begin to walk back to the orphanage, Marian tells Robin, "Robin, there are two pretty big issues with this."

"Like what?" Robin replies calmly and unconcerned.

"Well, for one, we are not allowed to leave the orphanage until ten in the morning. And two, you don't know this man! How do you know that you can trust him?"

"I don't know. I can just feel it. He's like us, Marian. He's not one of those slimy royals."

"How do you know all royals are slimy?"

"I don't. It's just what I see. They live in luxury while we are forced to live in a tiny orphanage and share a room with five other kids. Someday I want to help people like us. That's what I think royals should be doing, but they don't."

Marian thinks for a moment and then responds to Robin, "Maybe the things that Graham teaches you will help you do just that!"

Robin looks over to her dear friend and smiles. That was just what she had been thinking too.


	9. Chapter 9

Robin trained with Graham for three years. She learned how to be as quiet as a mouse, as quick as deer and as sly as a fox. About a year earlier she had begun to use these lessons to become who the kingdom called Robin Hood; she would sneak into the homes of the wealthy and take what she could right from under their noses, and she would return it to who she believed deserved it, the people of the kingdom whom the royals neglected and left in poverty. She often found ways to rampage and steal from the Queen's passing carriages as well as those of King George in a neighboring kingdom.

Robin was now sixteen; a beautiful young woman with her usual long braid extending down her back with her strong hunter-like clothing. Whenever she got the chance, she wore a set of arrows in a satchel with bow that Graham had gifted her on her first year of training.

Marian was twenty-one and no longer at the orphanage. She had met a kind man on the outskirts of town and, though she did not want to leave Robin behind, she accepted the man's marriage proposal and moved out of Nottingham at Robin's request:

_"Marian, don't stay here on account of me. I am fine here! I have grown and you have taught me how to care for myself."_

_"Yes, but I just don't want to leave you. You are like my baby sister."_

_"And you are like my big sister! But sisters do not stay together and live with each other forever. They go their separate ways and become happy."_

_Marian smiles, "As long as you promise to write me as often as you can. And you be as careful as possible! I can't control the things that you do, but I can at least tell you that much."_

_The two girls hug tightly and Robin replies, "Of course."_

0-0-0

One day Robin goes to her usual meeting place to meet Graham; however, he never shows up. He is always on time for their training sessions; Robin finds it rather out of the ordinary. So, she decides to find out for herself.

Robin journey's through the woods for a while, following the usual path that she and Graham have taken to a local bar—she isn't aloud to drink but she can enter the bar and talk to the other hunters though she never did; only to Graham. Suddenly, Robin is struck with and idea. She whistles at a high pitch. She looks around, but nothing is there for a while. She tries whistling again. Suddenly, Graham's companion wolf runs over from behind a tree.

"Hey, Boy!" She kneels down to pet him. "Boy, where is Graham?"

The wolf begins to lead her towards the bar where she can get an answer. She enters with the wolf by her side. She walks up to the bar and asks, "Excuse me? Would you happen to know where the hunter, who is usually with this wolf, has gone? I was meant to meet him early this morning and he never arrived."

Suddenly a very drunken man loudly grabs Robin's attention, "Hey, little girly! What you doin' in here? They don't allow little girlies like you in here!"

She turns to him and snidely replies, "I am a woman and I am free to go where I please."

The drunken man laughs, "Then why don't you please to come over here, girly, and sit on papa's lap."

She stares at him in utter amazement, "I'd rather not."

The man gets up and walks over to her. "Come on, girly. Amuse papa." He grabs her arm and the wolf begins to growl at the man while Robin, with her free hand, pushes the man to the ground with great strength, pulls a dagger out and holds it to his neck.

"I suggest you don't do that again."

The man quivers in fear of the girl. She turns to the other hunters in the room, "Now, can anyone answer my question? Where has he gone?"

One man, strong and rather bulky with scruffy dark hair replies, "He was summoned by the Queen."

She looks over to him while still holding the dagger to the other man's throat, "Why?"

"All we know is that she needed a huntsman and he was who she chose. Poor bastard…"

Robin looks down at the man in fear and withdraws her dagger. The man sighs with relief. Then Robin walks over to the man who had given her the answer she needed, "Thank you." She begins to walk to the door.

"Hey," he yells to her, "who are you?"

She turns to look back at him, "I'm Robin… Robin Hood." Then she walks out with the wolf by her side.

0-0-0

It took about three days for Robin to make it to the palace. She walked some way, stowed away on several traveling carriages, and borrowed a horse from a kind old farmer. When she looks up at the towering palace, she rolls her eyes and sighs, "I really hate royals."

The most difficult part was getting into the palace while avoiding the guards. She manages to find a small area by the wall of the courtyard that is not guarded and climbs over it. She sneaks her way through the courtyard and notices a random apple tree at the center of it. She had no time to stop now so she continued into the palace. Slyly avoiding the royal guards, she makes her way to a corridor the leads to the room where the Queen and Graham were in. She hides behind a large column and just watches:

_The two are in the middle of a conversation. Graham responds to something that the Queen has said, "She put others before herself, and yet, you hate her. What did she do to you?"_

_The Queen responds, "I shared a secret with her and she couldn't keep it. And that betrayal cost me dearly." She turns to Graham and raises her voice, "Now, show me her heart!"_

_He gives her the bag containing the heart. Robin watches almost in horror as she walks off though a pair of doors leading into a smaller room. She takes the heart out of the bag and places it into a box on a pedestal She closes the box and walks over to a wall made up of multiple drawers. She holds the box up to the wall, but nothing happens._

_"It should open." The Queen says confused. Then she takes the heart out of the box and furiously walks back toward Graham yelling, "This isn't her heart! This isn't a human heart! What did you do?" _

The doors to the smaller room slam shut and Robin can no longer see or hear what is happening.

She needed to get out of there. She finds her way back to the courtyard and doesn't look back. What did the Queen do to him? What made her like that? Thoughts just whirled around in her head. Once in the courtyard, Robin begins to head for the wall, but she stops for some reason. She looks over to the apple tree in the center of the courtyard. It just mesmerizes her for some reason, yet she doesn't know why. Suddenly all fear of being caught was gone as she walks to the center of the courtyard, picks an apple and stares at it. She looks at her reflection in the bright red peal and suddenly sees a silhouette of another person behind her. Startled, she turns around and drops the apple to the ground. It was an older man, possibly a servant to the Queen.

"I knew you'd return."

Still a bit stunned, Robin asks, "Excuse me?"

The man repeats, "I knew you'd return to save her. I knew that you were not dead, my dear." The man walks closer as if to give Robin a hug, but nervously, Robin pulls her dagger out and points in at him in defense.

"What are you talking about?" She asks.

"Your mother, Regina. My daughter. You've come back to help her; to stop her from seeking vengeance on Snow White."

Robin's thoughts are all over the place. She responds, "I have no mother. I do not know what is occurring between the Queen and Snow White, but I am not apart of it."

The man becomes confused at why the girl does not understand, "But, my dear. You are the reason. She believes that you are dead. She believes that it was Snow's fault."

"I don't understand you." Robin is confused and a bit nervous that she is falling in a trap.

The old man suddenly changes the subject, "You look just like her when she was your age. You act just like she did to."

Robin becomes defensive, "The Queen is not my mother! I do not look like her and I will never act like her!" Robin begins to walk away.

"But dear, the apple tree."

She turns back around, "What about the apple tree? It's just a tree."

The old man smiles at Robin naivety, "Ah, but it is not. You were able to pick an apple."

"It's and apple tree. You are supposed to pick the apples." Robin replies suddenly thinking that the old man is a little crazy.

"Dear, it's enchanted. I knew that you were not dead. I found a way to enchant the tree with only good magic. Only those of my daughter's blood can pick from the tree."

Robin makes a remark, "That must be difficult for the guards when they get hungry…"

"But, you picked an apple. You have her blood flowing through your veins. You are her daughter and the only one who can stop her from falling farther."

Robin is convinced that the man is talking nonsense, "I'm not. I'm sorry, but I'm just not. Maybe the apple was loose or something. It just fell into my hand."

"Dear, you can help her. Please, you are her only chance."

"I'm sorry. I just… can't. You have the wrong person." Robin backs away, then turns to run and climbs over the wall.

Thoughts just rush through her head: _The man was just crazy. An enchanted apple tree? I'm the Queen's daughter? I am her only chance? I am nothing like that vicious woman. I am not evil. I'm not like her…_


	10. Chapter 10

Robin wanted to forget all that she saw. Day by day she continued her training without Graham. She began to thief more and more, especially from the Queen's carriages. She would find a way to shoot her bow and arrow at a guard's foot or to scrape his arm to simply create a diversion. If she wished to kill someone, she could though; she never missed, almost as if by magic.

Robin continues to shoot arrows for target practice in order to clear her mind, but for some reason, she cannot focus. For the first time in three years of training, she continues to miss her target. The words of the old man continue to run through her head.

"Having some trouble, dearie?" A strange look man appears in front of her. Startled, she releases the arrow that hits a tree no farther than an inch from his face. He looks at it and remarks, "Well, I'm a bit glad that you've lost your aim, dearie."

Robin respond, "Then maybe you shouldn't randomly appear in front someone about the shoot an arrow."

"Oh dearie, don't get smart with me. I only wish to help you."

Very suspicious of the man's motives, she asks, "Why? Who are you?"

The man suddenly acts surprised, "Why I apologize! How rude of me not to introduce myself. Rumplestiltskin."

"Rumple…stiltskin?" She seems confused.

"Hard of hearing, dearie."

She becomes a bit insulted, "No! It's just strange… Why do you want to help me? I don't even know you."

"Ah, yes. But I know you very well, dearie. And your mother. Maybe you can say… I'm invested in your future."

"What future?"

"Well, dearie. Hear me out and we shall see." He smiles and gives a creepy sort of laugh.

"Alright."

"I am a man of making deals."

"What kind of deals?"

"Ones that are never broken, dearie."

"And you wish to make a deal with me?"

"I hear that you wish to find out what the Queen, your mother, has done to you beloved teacher… the huntsman."

"She is not my mother. Do you know what she did to Graham? Please, tell me he is alive!"

"Ah yes, dearie. I shall tell you so long as you give a little something for me in return."

"Name your price." She says unaware of his plans.

"The bow and arrow."

"My bow and arrow? What do you need with it?"

"I believe that is my business."

"Tell me or I will not agree to your deal." She says stubbornly.

He smiles at the girl's smarts and replies, "Dearie, this is no ordinary bow and arrow. It is enchanted."

"It's been my bow and arrow for three years. I think I'd know if it was enchanted."

"My dear, you are the one who has enchanted it. It is special be cause you are indeed special."

"Why is that?"

"Dearie, if I gave you all the answers then you would have no future and would not venture to find out yourself. The weapon if you please."

"Just indulge me."

"Oh you have no idea how much like your mother you are. Fine. But it with cost you another deal."

"Fine. Name it." Robin clear did not know what she was getting herself into.

"Dearie, I am conjuring up a bit of a… spell. I simply need one last ingredient to complete it."

"You wish for me to get it for you?"

"Oh no, dearie. You already have it. All I need is... three drops of your blood."

Robin's eyes widen, "Why?"

"You give me your end of the deal and I will give you mine. That is how this works, dearie."

Robin looks at the man with concern; however, she complies and pulls out her dagger. Rumplestiltskin then hands her a vile as she pricks her finger and gives him no more or less than three drops of her blood. He then beckons for the bow and arrow. She hands them to him and says, "Now you must hold up your end of the bargain and tell me what I wish to know."

"Why of course, dearie. You think me a dishonest man? I always honor my agreements."

"Tell me."

"Dearie, though you may not believe it, you are indeed the daughter of our dear Queen and a kind young stable boy that she had once loved, but that's another story. You, dearie, are linked to her magic. This here," he holds up the bow and arrow, "does not miss its mark because you, dearie, have enchanted it through your own magic."

"How is that?"

"Dearie, you were born of true love. A difficult thing to find, I must say!"

"You're right. I don't believe you. That woman is not my mother. I am not like that. I will never be like that."

"That is what she said too. But dearie, she is a woman who has had her heart broken, and that can make you do unspeakable things." He says observing the bow and arrow as if he had already had a plan for it. "And dearie, your future is written. You may believe that you are nothing like her. But you are. More than you know." The man laughs again, amused at what he knows is about to come.

She response strongly, "Anyone's can change their fate."

"I anyone can, it would be you, dearie. But we shall see... Your fate rests in your own hand. Just as your mother's did in hers."

The two are silent for sometime as Robin thinks of what he had said. Then she remembers that they had made another deal, "Now the first deal. What did my mother do? What did she do to Graham?"

He looks her strait in the eyes and says with a grin, "Why, she ripped out his heart, dearie."

Robin suddenly gasps, tears build in her eyes as she holds her hand over her mouth trying not to scream in agony. Beginning to cry she asks, "Why? How could she be filled with so much evil to do something that?" She can barely stand because she is so devastated, "No broken heart can force someone to do something so wretched! There is no possible way that her blood runs through my veins. No… it just can't be."

"Yet it does, dearie."

As tears stream down her face, Robin looks up at the amused man. Her sorrow suddenly turns to anger. Now knowing that the one person she had hoped to someday find, the one person she hoped would be a kind and gentle woman was now a soulless evil queen, Robin wanted no more than to forget. But, like her mother, Robin's temper was not so well contained. Her heart was now broken hearing of what this woman had done to her dear friend. Just stealing from her carriages was not enough anymore. Robin wanted to take it one step further.

She looks at him soullessly. She now looked exactly like her mother. She says to him, "Give me my bow and arrow back."

"Why, dearie? That would be reneging on your deal."

"I will return it to you. But, if what you say about it is true, then I won't miss."

"Miss what, dearie." The man smiles deviously and waits, knowing what her answer will be. He knew that this moment would decide the young girl's fate. Would she become her mother, though she swore she would not? Or would she be strong and remain good?

"I am going to kill her."


	11. Chapter 11

In the end Rumplestiltskin did not return the bow and arrow to young, vengeful Robin for he had other uses for it. Instead, he conjured a different bow and arrow, a new one. Though it was not enchanted, it would not matter because Robin had her own magic though she was not completely aware of it.

Robin returns to the palace, using her sly technique to make it past the guards and into the palace quickly and quietly. She hides behind the same column as before, aims her arrow, waits and watches the Evil Queen carefully:

_The Queen is speaking to the old man, her father, "Did Rumpelstiltskin tell you what you needed to know?"_

_"Yes." She replies._

_"And?"_

_"I'm not sure I should say. I'm conflicted."_

_" How bad is it? Maybe I can help."_

_She turns and looks at him scared and vulnerable, "I have to cut out the heart of the thing I love most."_

_The man looks at her stunned, "Me?"_

_"Daddy, I don't know what to do."_

_"My dear, please. You don't have to do this."_

_"I have to do something."_

_"Then move past this. I know this may sound self-serving, but you don't need to enact the curse."_

_"But I can't keep living like this. What Snow did to me, what she took from me? It's eating me alive, Daddy. Her very existence mocks me. She must be punished."_

_"But, if the price is a hole that will never be filled, why do it? Stop worrying about Snow White and start over. We can have a new life."_

_"But what kind of life? All I've worked for, all I've built would be gone. My power will disappear. They already think I'm nothing."_

_"Power is seductive. But so is love. You can have that again." The man says referring to young Robin who he hoped would soon realize that she was the only way to save her mother._

_She walks over and embraces her father, "I just want to be happy."_

_"You can be. Of this I'm sure. But I believe, given the chance, we can find happiness. Together. But the choice is yours." He says as he embraces his daughter back._

_"I think you're right. I can be happy. …Just not here." Suddenly she stabs her father. With tears in her eyes, she says, "I'm sorry…"_

Robin watches and lowers her weapon as the Queen kneels over her father's body and cries over what she has done. Robin suddenly realizes that the words that the old man had said were true and the words that Rumplestiltskin had said were also true. Robin had finally seen it. In that bit of sorrow and remorse, she saw the Queen's true self; she saw the part of her mother that was inside of her as well.

Suddenly, two guards grab Robin. She begins to yell loudly as they drag her into the room where the Queen and her deceased father are. They throw her to the ground.

One of the guards says, "Your Majesty, we have found the intruder that has been thieving from you carriages and sneaking into the palace."

The Queen gets up and walks over the Robin who is kneeling on the floor. She looks up at her and then stands up straight.

The Queen responds, "The sneaky and sly Robin Hood… a girl? And a child nonetheless."

Robin is strong like her mother. She shows no vulnerability, looks her straight in the eyes and answers, "I'm a woman."

"Yes, of course you are, dear. And a smart one at that; able to bypass all of the palace guards… Now tell me," she takes her hand and holds Robin's chin, "why do you continue to raid my carriages and invade my palace?"

"Because I am a thief." She fidgets out of her grasp and begins to become a bit cocky with her, "I steal from slimy royals like you and return the treasures to the people who really need them."

The Queen laughs at the girl's confidence, "A yes. The young Robin Hood who steals from the rich and gives to the poor… Is that right?" The Queen walks away and then turns back toward Robin, "And why are you here now? You have nothing of mine in your possession."

"Well, your guards grabbed me." She responds with a devious smile.

The Queen walks up to her and grabs her chin again, "I am sick of your childish insolence. Now tell me why you are here."

"Because I came to kill you, mother…"

The Queen's expression drops in disbelief as she lets go of her face. The two stare at each other silently. Then the Queen responds, "I have no daughter." She turns and walks away, "Guards throw her into the dungeon."

As they drag Robin away she yells back, "I know that you did! You know that it's true! Sixteen years ago you gave birth to the daughter of the stable boy! But they didn't kill me!"

The Queen looks back shocked at what she had just heard. It wasn't enough though. She didn't believe what Robin was saying. She looks down at her dead father. It was time for her to enact her curse and finally win.

0-0-0

**This is the End of The Secret of the Apple Tree. Please Review.**

**A sequel will be published soon if you wish to find out how Robin and Regina meet in Storybrooke during the curse. More secrets may be revealed and some old faces may return in:**

**The Hope in the Curse.**


End file.
